gjers



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. GJERS.

SOAKING PIT POR STEEL INGOTS.

No. 342,200. Patented May 18, 1886..

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(No Model.) Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. GJBRS.

SOAKING PIT FOR STEEL INGOTS.

PatentdlMay 18, 1886.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN GJEBS, OF MIDDLESBROUGH-ON-TEES, ENGLAND.:

soAKlNG-PIT Fon STEEL INeoTs.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 342,200, dated May 18, 1886.

Application filed March 27, l885. Serial No.1(0,356. (No model.) Patented in England February 20, 1885, No. 51,338; in France February 21, 1885, No. 167,216; in Belgium February 21, 1885, No. 67,968; in Sweden February 28, 1885, No. S; in Luxemburg March 1, 1885, No. 505; in Austria. March 13, 1885, No. 47,144, and in Italy December 31, 1885, XXXVIII, 90.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN GJERs, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Middlesbrough-on-Tees, Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, have invented new and useful Improvements in Soaking Pits for Steel Ingots, of which the following isaspeci- Iication.

.My present invention relates to a further development ofthe mode or process oftreating steel ingots in soakingpits for which I obtained Letters Patent of the United States under date the 21st day of August, 1883, No.

y 283,735. As is well known,theinvention forming the subject of that patentis usually carried out in practice in the following manner: The ingot,as soon as it is stripped,is with theleast possible delay placed upright within a previously-heated upright soaking pit, which is constructed of a cross-section only slightly larger than that of the ingot and of a depth deeper than the length of the ingot, and then this soaking-pit is immediately covered over with a cover or lid such as will practically exclude the air.` In this pit thus covered the ingot is allowed to stand and soak (as I call it) until it assumes throughout a suitable temperature for being rolled or otherwise pressed into a bloom or other shaped article. An eX- perienced workman, as is well known, can judge from the appearance of the ingot when it is in a t state to be rolled. When starting,the cold pit is first subjected to a preliminary heating, which is usually effected by introducing into the pit in the first insta-nce hot ingots, which, after imparting the requisite heat, are withdrawn and require to be reheated before they are rolled. It has been found that the operation as just above described is perfectly successful ifthe works have been adapted from the beginning for such treatment, and if charges of recently cast ingots pass through the soaking-pits with sufficient regularity and rapidity; but in works where the casting of the ingots takes place at some distance from the rolling-mill,or where the ingots produced are either of very small size or are cast atlongintervals, it becomes somewhat difficult to pre serve such a surplus of heat in the soakingpit as is necessary for the attainment throughout the ingots of a sufficient temperature for rolling. To supply additional heat to the walls of the soaking-pits, and also to insure the retention by them of the temperature to which they have been raised, so that they may always be hot enough to receive a new charge vof ingots, an arrangement of apparatus has been described in the specification of an application for Letters Patent of the United States by James Riley,No. 164,134, filed the same day as my present application.

Now, accordingto my present invention the heat is applied internally, and this internal heating is effected while there are no ingots in the soaking-pits. The soaking pits or chambers then become capable of supplying to the ingots a certain amount of auxiliary heat,suffi cient with that already contained in the steel to bring the whole to the proper temperature for rolling.

Soaking pits or chambers may be heated either by solid fuel or by gas from a producer, or by the use of liquid fuel or natural gas where available. The heat of the escaping gases may be used for generating steam.

Referring to the annexed drawings, Figure l shows in vertical section along the lines a b and c d, respectively, of Fig. 2, the right of the figure being on c d and the left of it on e b, an arrangement of soaking-pits heated internally by the products of combustion from solid fuel. Fig. 2 represents partly a horizontal section along the line cf of Fig. 3 and partly a plan view of the arrangement, the covering-plates p being removed. Fig. 3 represents a transverse section along the line g h. of Fig. 2.

a rt a show eight soaking pits or chambers formed in refractory brick-wo1k,and arranged in two series. Between the inner wallsmt m, two fire-grates,rr, are situated. Fuel isintroduced from the top through small openings closed by plugs p.

A and Bare Stoke-holes. C is agi-ated door over stoke-hole B. (There is alike one overA.)

Beneath the lire-grates rr terminates apipe, L, through which, by means of a steam-jet, air is blown in to urge the fire. The pipe L is fitted with a shut-oif valve, L.

The pipe L, by which air is injected to the` ash-pit F, is the only air-inlet by which air is supplied to the grates r r. The ash-pit (not shown) of the fire-grate to the left ofFig. l (see r to the left of Fig. 2) derives its air-supply from F by the passage F, Fig. 1. Some air from F passes upward to inlet P, (shown in full lines, Fig. l, and dotted in Fig. 3,) and then laterally and vertically by the dues el' o? to fines c.

q 1 are holes for removal of slag from soaking-pits.

The requisite quantity of air for combustion, introduced through horizontal air-dues c2 c2, becomes heated in its passage through or in contact with the hot walls before entering through the laterally-arranged openings c3 c3 into the space above the ire-grates. The gases of combustion arising from the fuel pass through the dues c c of the inner walls, m m, enter into the soaking -pits a a a, and pass downward, surrounding and heating the inner surfaces of the walls, and escape through the side channels, c c, into the chimney by iiues C C, each iitted with a damper.

In the specification of my application for Letters Patent of the United States filed April 7, 1884-, Serial No. 126,962, I described the application of gasheating apparatus in conjunction with soaking-pits according to my invention; but in that case the gas is used to act upon and heat the upper parts of the ingots, as distinguished from the use of gaseous or other fuel according to my present invention, in which the Haine is Lot to have any contact with the ingots, nor are the products of combustion to be allowed to enter the soaking pit or pits when there are ingots therein.

Vhat I claim isl. An apparatus for treating steel ingots to equalize their temperature before rolling, coinfprising,in combination with a stationary mass of brick-work serving as an accumulator of heat, stationary soaking-pits for the ingots, built within the said mass of brickfwork, and a furnace or combustion-chamber also inclosed in the same brick-work, and communicating iiues, whereby the entire arrangement is selfcontained, the ame caused to act directly upon the interior surface of the pits, and loss of heat is obviated, substantially as described.

2. The apparatus for treating steel ingots to equalize their temperature, comprising soaking-pits a, formed in refractory brick-work, with inner Walls. m m, fire grates r o', with openings for fuel closed by plugs p, pipe L, for introduction of air to urge the tire, the inlet P, and the ue F, shut-oii` valve L', horizontal air-flues 6* c2, laterally-arranged openings 03 ci, fines c c, side channels, cc, and tlues C C, each fitted with a damper, all substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

JOHN GJERS. Witnesses:

JAs. L. ADAMS,

J AMns B. DALns,

l() Benson Stv-ect, lllfidn'llesbrough. 

